1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to socket assembly, more particularly to a socket assembly electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,197 issued on Feb. 21, 2006, discloses a traditional socket assembly for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board. The socket assembly comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, a stiffener disposed around the insulative housing, a loading plate pivotally assembled to an end of the stiffener and a loading lever pivotally assembled to an opposite end of the stiffener. The socket assembly usually is equipped with a pick up cap, the pick up cap can be assembled to the insulative housing and exposed from an opening of the loading plate for being picked up, the pick up cap has two functions, one is to provide a smooth surface for sucking by a pick up tool to move the socket assembly, the other is to protect the terminals received in the socket assembly from exterior dust or outside force.
The pick up cap of the socket assembly needs to be removed before using, operator must firstly open the loading plate, and then upwardly pick the pick up cap disposed upon the insulative housing by fingers, however, once the operator makes a mistake during this process, the pick up cap will drop down and even crash the contacts received in the insulative housing, that may destroy the socket assembly.
Hence, an improved socket assembly is desired to overcome the above problems.